🥇 BANNER Winter camp Gold!

JDug · Jan 22, 2015

The other day I was digging in the frozen ground a winter camp and had found 4 bullets and some camp lead in about 2 hours. Then I broke my shovel trying to pop out a large plug. It was a iffy signal with the GPX, either iron falsing on both sides of the target or 2 targets. Anyway I came back the next day and opened it up only to find a square nail. Without checking for another signal I started digging down to the plow line to see if the sub-soil was where it was suppose to be because I've found several Fire-pits there. When I threw out the 1st scoop the clod broke apart and out popped Gold, clear as day. After freaking out for several minutes, videoing and washing I decided to keep detecting and found another fire-pit just 10 feet from the Gold 2 1/2. From that I got 4 buttons, 1 J-hook, a bullet worm, a firing cap, bone and lot's of iron. The Eagle I is of the rare variety w/ the arrows on the left and the 2 1/2 Gold is in the best condition of any coin I've ever dug and it's a S mint mark, which only 24,000 were made. HH all!

JDug · Jan 22, 2015

Thanks fellas! I just took it to the coin shop to have them look at it and they said it's probably worth about $500 but went on to say if I hadn't cleaned it could of been $800 t0 $2000. I thought I was really careful and didn't rub it but they said I put hairline scratches in it and I should of left the dirt on it. It just seems to me that caring it around with dirt on it would scratch it worse. I don't care what they say I love it for the history. I'm sure glad buttons don't have to hold up to such scrutiny.

Ahab8 · Jan 22, 2015

JDug said:
Thanks fellas! I just took it to the coin shop to have them look at it and they said it's probably worth about $500 but went on to say if I hadn't cleaned it could of been $800 t0 $2000. I thought I was really careful and didn't rub it but they said I put hairline scratches in it and I should of left the dirt on it. It just seems to me that caring it around with dirt on it would scratch it worse. I don't care what they say I love it for the history. I'm sure glad buttons don't have to hold up to such scrutiny.

First off great find brother! Secondly like you said, what the hell are we supposed to do with these coins? Levitate them around so the don't touch anything? Are they sure those scratches are new and weren't there from moving around in the dirt for years? It just seems like it doesn't matter how careful we are. And if you had left the dirt on it did they have some secret cleaning method that we don't know about.
Regardless of any of that it's an incredible find with awesome historic signifigance and I'm psyched for man. Don't even worry bout the value

MUD(S.W.A.T) · Jan 22, 2015

JDug said:
Thanks fellas! I just took it to the coin shop to have them look at it and they said it's probably worth about $500 but went on to say if I hadn't cleaned it could of been $800 t0 $2000. I thought I was really careful and didn't rub it but they said I put hairline scratches in it and I should of left the dirt on it. It just seems to me that caring it around with dirt on it would scratch it worse. I don't care what they say I love it for the history. I'm sure glad buttons don't have to hold up to such scrutiny.

I was going to say something about that cleaning method. I've seen people do it all over the internet. :icon_scratch:

Drives me nuts !! :BangHead:

Its no better than rubbing coins !! The littlest pieces of dirt and sand and rocks in the cap act like wet sanding. The problem with gold and silver is its very soft so it scratches easy. :dontknow:

I'm not sure how they would clean it if they were in your shoes though.

However next time, to be safe don't clean it at all or use running fast water and no rubbing or brushing or dabbing at all. I guess some professionals would just soak it in distilled water until the dirt softens enough to just fall off. :dontknow:

Lucky Its not a real valuable gold coin, but if you ever do come across that one coin...!! 8-)

Make sure you send it in to get cleaned by a grading company !! :thumbsup:

Awesome finds, congratulations !! :headbang:

Keep @ it and HH !! :hello2:

DonDigger · Jan 22, 2015

Great Gold! My heart would have stopped dead in its tracks to turn that up. Banner

UnderMiner · Jan 22, 2015

Fabulous, at last some new gold to this site! :treasurechest:

Army of 1 · Jan 22, 2015

Awesome recoveries buddy , sweet Gold coin , congrats ..cheers Mick

Tnmountains · Jan 22, 2015

That was great. I had to laugh when I heard you laugh. Great coin and at the at the first of the video I laughed when I saw the earth worm had " Photo Bombed" that great coin. So it was shallow? I saw the depth of you other holes on the fire pits. Nice hunt once again. You have my vote.
TnMtns

testing123 · Jan 22, 2015

it was exciting to hear how ecstatic you were finding it! As mentioned above, the toothbrush was something that should be avoided on silver and gold. On something like this that is a super keeper, I might even take a walk back to the car then and there and lay it in the glove box so it doesn't rub in a pocket, or anything else. Just some water at home should be enough after that, with no rubbing. That being said, it's a spectacular piece and truly a centerpiece of any detecting collection!

shoague · Jan 22, 2015

I love your laugh

RobRieman · Jan 22, 2015

A true beauty J! I love it, great job.

Bill D. (VA) · Jan 22, 2015

Gorgeous coin - congrats!!

sandchip · Jan 22, 2015

500 bucks? Whatever. It would be priceless to me.

Argentium · Jan 22, 2015

That didn't take long to pop up top - Great Find ! Congratulations on realizing a dream !!!

park pirate · Jan 22, 2015

Congrats on your banner brother sweet coin for sure...

VOL1266-X · Jan 22, 2015

WTG JD. It will be hard to top that but you may in your area. Congrats on the banner, Q.

DigIron2 · Jan 22, 2015

Holy cow

. what a find!.Gold coins of any denomination are rare to find, "extremely' rare to find on civil war sites.Don't worry,you didn't hurt that coin any.They where probably just hoping you wanted to sell it.I love the 1861 date and everything about it.Nothing like a beautiful period Gold coin to display with your relics.Congratulations to you!